About Us

TheBackyard is a sustainable, integrated agriscape that is committed to an ecosystem of diversity. Diversity leads to stability which leads to fertility which leads to productivity. This cycle ensures a system that drives sustainability and self-reliance. We will be a leader in the production of organic food, a pioneer for the integrative farming model and an icon of sustainable, optimal, living standards. This commitment will lend credibility to our involvement in our community as a learning hub that focuses on a holistic systems approach, as well as a sustainable, organic food production network that minimizes environmental impact.
Our property also serves as a volunteer & education garden, demonstration garden & the first Residential Research Facility for Blue Sky Agriscaping. Agriscaping is mixing elegant landscaping with the best of edibles to create a beautiful edible elegant landscape. This incorporates multiple styles of gardening as well as helping people understand and adapt all the micro-climates of their property to take full advantage of all year gardening.

​Shaun is currently an Instructor for Straw Bale Gardening which is based off of Jole Karsten's book. Here is Shaun's listing on the Straw Bale Garden website:

Who We Are

 Picture
Raised in the ‘big’ city, Phoenix, AZ, farming and agriculture was not a mainstream venue and the grocery store was basically the only option for getting food… little did we know the limitations of that small mind thinking. After much education, attending workshops, traveling all around the state to visit local growers, breeders, and those interested in living a more self-sustaining life we realized the opportunity was there in front of us the whole time.
Currently we now reside in a smaller town northwest of Dallas in the DFW area of Texas with our family of four; Shaun & Krisann and two kids, a daughter and a son. Those two are our inspiration for everything which includes creating not only a self-sustaining lifestyle, but this website, and all our resources as well. A self-sustaining lifestyle because we believe that is the stewardship our Creator entrusted us with and this website to give to our community what we have gained in education, knowledge, and experience!

Our History
Prior to 2014 we would have had no clue about running a farm and only a several years into raising human kids. However through many different forms of education and awareness our family realized the dire need to know where our food was coming from, what was in the food & being fed to the meats we consumed and even where/when possible, grow it ourselves. We knew we had to make changes.

We also believe whole-heartedly in self-reliance as well as a powerful asset in our world, our own community. We have no faith in the future 'systems' that are currently in place, whether that be the financial systems, government systems, commercial food industry, fuel industry, etc. As a result we have learned so much about connecting back to some very basic and quite important life skills. So our history has lead us to this point in our journey and we look forward to the evolving space that we call theBackyard.